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Digest of Education Statistics
2014 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 310.20. Foreign students enrolled in institutions of higher education in the United States, by continent, region, and selected countries of origin: Selected years, 1980-81 through 2013-14
Continent, region, and selected countries of origin 1980-81 1985-86 1990-91 1995-96 2000-01 2005-06 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Total 311,880 100.0 343,780 100.0 407,272 100.0 453,787 100.00 547,873 100.0 564,766 100.0 723,277 100.0 764,495 100.0 819,644 100.0 886,052 100.0
Sub-Saharan Africa1 30,870 9.9 28,210 8.2 19,262 4.7 17,422 3.8 29,033 5.3 32,538 5.8 31,470 4.4 30,046 3.9 30,585 3.5 31,113 3.5
East Africa 6,260 2.0 6,730 2.0 7,592 1.9 7,596 1.7 13,516 2.5 13,635 2.4 8,863 1.2 7,827 1.0 7,761 0.9 7,549 0.9
Kenya 1,930 0.6 1,720 0.5 2,357 0.6 2,934 0.6 6,229 1.1 6,559 1.2 4,666 0.6 3,898 0.5 3,516 0.4 3,201 0.4
Central Africa 1,130 0.4 1,540 0.4 1,647 0.4 1,346 0.3 1,859 0.3 2,825 0.5 2,831 0.4 2,778 0.4 2,861 0.3 2,883 0.3
Southern Africa 1,480 0.5 2,360 0.7 2,835 0.7 2,657 0.6 3,304 0.6 2,232 0.4 5,330 0.7 5,196 0.7 5,511 0.7 5,683 0.6
West Africa 22,000 7.1 17,580 5.1 7,178 1.8 5,818 1.3 10,346 1.9 13,846 2.5 14,446 2.0 14,245 1.9 14,452 1.8 14,998 1.7
Nigeria 17,350 5.6 13,710 4.0 3,714 0.9 2,093 0.5 3,820 0.7 6,192 1.1 7,148 1.0 7,028 0.9 7,316 0.9 7,921 0.9
                                         
Asia 94,640 30.3 156,830 45.6 229,825 56.4 259,893 57.3 302,058 55.1 327,785 58.0 461,903 63.9 489,970 64.1 525,849 64.2 568,510 64.2
East Asia 51,650 16.6 80,720 23.5 146,017 35.9 166,717 36.7 189,371 34.6 197,576 35.0 286,925 39.7 319,515 41.8 357,596 43.6 393,205 44.4
China 2,770 0.9 13,980 4.1 39,597 9.7 39,613 8.7 59,939 10.9 62,582 11.1 157,558 21.8 194,029 25.4 235,597 28.7 274,439 31.0
Hong Kong 9,660 3.1 10,710 3.1 12,625 3.1 12,018 2.6 7,627 1.4 7,849 1.4 8,136 1.1 8,032 1.1 8,026 1.0 8,104 0.9
Japan 13,500 4.3 13,360 3.9 36,611 9.0 45,531 10.0 46,497 8.5 38,712 6.9 21,290 2.9 19,966 2.6 19,568 2.4 19,334 2.2
South Korea 6,150 2.0 18,660 5.4 23,362 5.7 36,231 8.0 45,685 8.3 59,022 10.5 73,351 10.1 72,295 9.5 70,627 8.6 68,047 7.7
Taiwan 19,460 6.2 23,770 6.9 33,531 8.2 32,702 7.2 28,566 5.2 27,876 4.9 24,818 3.4 23,250 3.0 21,897 2.7 21,266 2.4
South and Central Asia 14,540 4.7 25,800 7.5 42,366 10.4 45,401 10.0 71,765 13.1 94,965 16.8 128,958 17.8 124,392 16.3 121,100 14.8 127,301 14.4
India 9,250 3.0 16,070 4.7 28,857 7.1 31,743 7.0 54,664 10.0 76,503 13.5 103,895 14.4 100,270 13.1 96,754 11.8 102,673 11.6
Nepal 250 0.1 390 0.1 670 0.2 1,219 0.3 2,618 0.5 6,061 1.1 10,301 1.4 9,621 1.3 8,920 1.1 8,155 0.9
Pakistan 2,990 1.0 5,440 1.6 7,725 1.9 6,427 1.4 6,948 1.3 5,759 1.0 5,045 0.7 4,600 0.6 4,772 0.6 4,935 0.6
Southeast Asia 28,450 9.1 50,310 14.6 41,441 10.2 47,774 10.5 40,916 7.5 35,244 6.2 46,020 6.4 46,063 6.0 47,152 5.8 48,004 5.4
Indonesia 3,250 1.0 8,210 2.4 9,524 2.3 12,820 2.8 11,625 2.1 7,575 1.3 6,942 1.0 7,131 0.9 7,670 0.9 7,920 0.9
Malaysia 6,010 1.9 23,020 6.7 13,606 3.3 14,015 3.1 7,795 1.4 5,515 1.0 6,735 0.9 6,743 0.9 6,791 0.8 6,822 0.8
Philippines 3,390 1.1 3,920 1.1 4,273 1.0 3,127 0.7 3,139 0.6 3,758 0.7 3,604 0.5 3,194 0.4 3,215 0.4 3,112 0.4
Singapore 1,320 0.4 3,930 1.1 4,495 1.1 4,098 0.9 4,166 0.8 3,909 0.7 4,316 0.6 4,505 0.6 4,558 0.6 4,592 0.5
Thailand 6,550 2.1 6,940 2.0 7,092 1.7 12,165 2.7 11,187 2.0 8,765 1.6 8,236 1.1 7,626 1.0 7,314 0.9 7,341 0.8
Vietnam 6,490 2.1 3,270 1.0 1,396 0.3 922 0.2 2,022 0.4 4,597 0.8 14,888 2.1 15,572 2.0 16,098 2.0 16,579 1.9
                                         
Europe2 28,650 9.2 38,910 11.3 55,422 13.6 76,855 16.9 93,784 17.1 84,697 15.0 84,296 11.7 85,423 11.2 85,823 10.5 86,885 9.8
Cyprus2 720 0.2 2,140 0.6 1,710 0.4 1,819 0.4 2,217 0.4 1,111 0.2 470 0.1 438 0.1 425 0.1 419 #
France 2,570 0.8 3,680 1.1 5,633 1.4 5,710 1.3 7,273 1.3 6,640 1.2 8,098 1.1 8,232 1.1 8,297 1.0 8,302 0.9
Germany3 3,310 1.1 4,730 1.4 7,003 1.7 9,017 2.0 10,128 1.8 8,829 1.6 9,458 1.3 9,347 1.2 9,819 1.2 10,160 1.1
Greece 3,750 1.2 4,440 1.3 4,357 1.1 3,365 0.7 2,768 0.5 2,088 0.4 1,874 0.3 1,922 0.3 2,046 0.2 2,170 0.2
Spain 950 0.3 1,740 0.5 4,304 1.1 4,809 1.1 4,156 0.8 3,455 0.6 4,330 0.6 4,924 0.6 5,033 0.6 5,350 0.6
Turkey2 2,600 0.8 2,460 0.7 4,078 1.0 7,678 1.7 10,983 2.0 11,622 2.1 12,184 1.7 11,973 1.6 11,278 1.4 10,821 1.2
United Kingdom 4,440 1.4 5,940 1.7 7,298 1.8 7,799 1.7 8,139 1.5 8,274 1.5 8,947 1.2 9,186 1.2 9,467 1.2 10,191 1.2
                                         
Latin America 49,810 16.0 45,480 13.2 47,318 11.6 47,253 10.4 63,634 11.6 64,769 11.5 64,169 8.9 64,410 8.4 66,864 8.2 72,318 8.2
Caribbean 10,650 3.4 11,100 3.2 12,349 3.0 10,737 2.4 14,423 2.6 13,855 2.5 11,644 1.6 11,376 1.5 11,100 1.4 10,879 1.2
Central America 12,970 4.2 12,740 3.7 15,949 3.9 14,220 3.1 16,764 3.1 19,709 3.5 20,361 2.8 20,432 2.7 21,072 2.6 22,276 2.5
Mexico 6,730 2.2 5,460 1.6 6,739 1.7 8,687 1.9 10,670 1.9 13,931 2.5 13,713 1.9 13,893 1.8 14,199 1.7 14,779 1.7
South America 26,190 8.4 21,640 6.3 19,019 4.7 22,296 4.9 32,447 5.9 31,205 5.5 32,164 4.4 32,602 4.3 34,692 4.2 39,163 4.4
Brazil 2,870 0.9 2,840 0.8 3,898 1.0 5,497 1.2 8,846 1.6 7,009 1.2 8,777 1.2 9,029 1.2 10,868 1.3 13,286 1.5
Colombia 3,930 1.3 4,010 1.2 3,183 0.8 3,462 0.8 6,765 1.2 6,835 1.2 6,456 0.9 6,295 0.8 6,543 0.8 7,083 0.8
Venezuela 11,750 3.8 7,040 2.0 2,894 0.7 4,456 1.0 5,217 1.0 4,792 0.8 5,491 0.8 6,281 0.8 6,158 0.8 7,022 0.8
                                         
Middle East                                        
and North Africa1 88,700 28.4 54,100 15.7 32,177 7.9 24,488 5.4 28,842 5.3 21,576 3.8 47,963 6.6 62,120 8.1 77,049 9.4 92,618 10.5
Middle East2 81,390 26.1 48,120 14.0 27,636 6.8 21,066 4.6 23,658 4.3 17,806 3.2 42,543 5.9 56,664 7.4 71,170 8.7 86,372 9.7
Iran 47,550 15.2 14,210 4.1 6,262 1.5 2,628 0.6 1,844 0.3 2,420 0.4 5,626 0.8 6,982 0.9 8,744 1.1 10,194 1.2
Israel 2,710 0.9 2,600 0.8 2,977 0.7 2,637 0.6 3,402 0.6 3,419 0.6 2,701 0.4 2,490 0.3 2,430 0.3 2,457 0.3
Jordan 6,140 2.0 6,590 1.9 4,321 1.1 2,222 0.5 2,187 0.4 1,733 0.3 2,002 0.3 2,062 0.3 2,109 0.3 2,148 0.2
Kuwait 2,990 1.0 3,810 1.1 1,624 0.4 3,035 0.7 3,045 0.6 1,703 0.3 2,998 0.4 3,722 0.5 5,115 0.6 7,288 0.8
Lebanon 6,770 2.2 7,090 2.1 3,899 1.0 1,554 0.3 2,005 0.4 1,950 0.3 1,462 0.2 1,350 0.2 1,266 0.2 1,367 0.2
Saudi Arabia 10,440 3.3 6,900 2.0 3,584 0.9 4,191 0.9 5,273 1.0 3,448 0.6 22,704 3.1 34,139 4.5 44,566 5.4 53,919 6.1
North Africa1 7,310 2.3 5,980 1.7 4,541 1.1 3,422 0.8 5,184 0.9 3,770 0.7 5,420 0.7 5,456 0.7 5,879 0.7 6,246 0.7
                                         
North America4 14,790 4.7 16,030 4.7 18,949 4.7 23,644 5.2 25,888 4.7 28,699 5.1 27,941 3.9 26,821 3.5 27,357 3.3 28,304 3.2
Canada 14,320 4.6 15,410 4.5 18,350 4.5 23,005 5.1 25,279 4.6 28,202 5.0 27,546 3.8 26,821 3.5 27,357 3.3 28,304 3.2
                                         
Oceania 4,180 1.3 4,030 1.2 4,230 1.0 4,202 0.9 4,624 0.8 4,702 0.8 5,610 0.8 5,697 0.7 6,104 0.7 6,292 0.7
Australia 1,530 0.5 1,530 0.4 1,906 0.5 2,244 0.5 2,645 0.5 2,806 0.5 3,777 0.5 3,848 0.5 4,121 0.5 4,377 0.5
                                         
Unidentified5 240 0.1 190 0.1 89 # 30 # 10 # # # 10 # 8 # 13 # 12 #
#Rounds to zero.
1 North Africa was combined with the Middle East to create the "Middle East and North Africa" category as of 2012-13, and the former "Africa" category was replaced by "Sub-Saharan Africa" (which excludes North Africa). Data for years prior to 2012-13 have been revised for comparability.
2 Cyprus and Turkey were classified as being in the Middle East prior to 2004-05 but in Europe for 2004-05 and later years. Data for years prior to 2004-05 have been revised for comparability.
3 Data for 1980-81 and 1985-86 are for West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany before unification).
4 Excludes Mexico and Central America, which are included in Latin America.
5 Place of origin unknown or undeclared.            
NOTE: Includes foreign students enrolled in American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Totals and subtotals include other countries not shown separately. Region totals may not sum to continent totals, because some continent totals include students who are not classified by country or region. Data are for "nonimmigrants" (i.e., students who have not migrated to the United States). Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: Institute of International Education, Open Doors: Report on International Educational Exchange, selected years, 1981 through 2014. (This table was prepared November 2014.)

2014 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest